GP perceptions of informal peer support in primary care: a qualitative study

Background Burnout is on the rise amongst general practitioners (GPs) in the UK. One approach to mitigating burnout in GPs is through informal peer support (IPS). This refers to GPs informally supporting each other on an informational (advice) and emotional (venting, reflection) basis.

Aim To explore GPs’ perceptions of how IPS manifests in the primary care setting and what factors influence effective GP engagement with IPS.

Design & setting A qualitative study utilising semi-structed interviews to develop an in-depth understanding of GPs’ perceptions of IPS based on their experiences in practices across England.

Methods Fifteen GPs were purposively sampled to include the views of locum, salaried and trainee GPs and GP partners. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, recorded, and transcribed verbatim. Transcripts were analysed using inductive thematic analysis.

Results Four types of IPS were identified relating to emotional support, professional advice, sharing of workload, and mentorship, reflecting existing literature. The frequency and efficacy of IPS was found to be influenced by several factors categorised into individual traits, practice culture, and occupation.

Conclusion The results highlight where efforts should be directed to improve GP engagement with IPS. Specifically, GP leaders have an important role in shaping practice culture and fostering an environment for IPS to occur. Practices may also benefit from introducing professional development measures targeted at training GPs to better support each other based on their individual traits.